Making something out of nothing is just being resourceful.

But Manheim Township has taken the concept to the next level. At the Manheim Township Compost Park, the township's recycling program is making something useful out of undesirable materials.

"Mainly, we're trying to recycle nature and put it back into our environment, our parks," said Michelle Hooper, Manheim Township's recycling coordinator, who oversees the compost park. "To me, the best thing about the compost park is it gives us an opportunity to take things people are throwing away and turn it into things people can use. It also benefits the environment."

The Manheim Township Compost Park accepts garden residue, pruned shrubbery and trees, sod, leaves, grass clippings and Christmas trees; nothing else is accepted. The natural waste is ground and repurposed into wood mulch and compost, and then used at township parks and offered to township residents free of charge.

Use of the compost park, which is divided into sections for different types of materials, is limited to Manheim Township residents, and the service is offered for a modest fee. For card access to the gated compost park, township residents are charged depending on the size of their vehicles and the size of their disposable waste loads. There are no attendants directing those dropping off yard waste.

Located at 2775 Oregon Pike, the Manheim Township Compost Park is open on Mondays to Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

"I don't think some people realize the benefit they have, being able to access a place that takes yard waste and turns it into something useful," said Hooper. "It's a really easy system to use. I'd encourage everyone to come and get a compost card and use it. It's a wonderful service to the township."

The land for the Manheim Township Compost Park was purchased in 2000, and after receiving approval from the Department of Environmental Protection, the township began composting leaves there. A few years later, the compost park was opened to the public, including all Lancaster County residents.

But when Manheim Township instituted its gated system in 2021, the composting service was only offered to township residents.

Last year, Manheim Township residents used 168 tons of wood mulch produced at the compost park and 252 tons of compost.

For additional information on the Manheim Township Compost Park, go to http://www.manheimtownship.org and look in the Departments menu for Public Works and Compost Park.